Are You Ready to Grow Veggies from Seed?

The Garden Girls’ Favorite Plants to Grow from Seed this Fall in Your Houston Kitchen Garden

Have you ever watched a plant grow from seed?  Well, it is miraculous.  To plant this tiny little thing and watch it grow over time and produce something you can harvest, it is a true wonder.

Growing from seed is a step-up from growing transplants, but we think you should give it a try.  Some veggies perform better when grown from direct sowing the seeds.  The other great thing about seeds is they are inexpensive compared to transplants.   We like to purchase organic seeds online from Baker Creek Seeds and Johnny’ Seeds or you can find seeds at Buchanan’s Native Plants, Wabash and Southwest Fertilizer.

Lettuces

Imagine an entire garden bed filled with a variety of lettuces that you grew from seed! Lettuce likes cooler temperatures and can be planted in Houston from October until February.  When planting lettuce, sprinkle the seeds in a line or section of the garden and cover loosely with soil.  Lettuce normally sprouts with a week.  Once your lettuce reaches the size you want, you can harvest.  You can harvest the outer leaves and the lettuce will continue to grow, it’s called cut and come again.  Garden Girls’ favorite varieties include Rocky Top Mix, Black-Seeded Simpson, Little Gem and Red Sails.

Radishes

If you want to try your hand at growing root crops, radishes are a great place to start.  Radishes are normally ready to harvest three to five weeks after planting.  Radishes can be planted from September to March in Houston.  To plant radishes, draw a line in the soil and plant seeds ¼” deep and 2-3” apart.  Cover your seeds with soil.  Radishes sprout within a week.  To see if your radishes are ready to harvest, pull one out and check it before harvesting more.  Favorite varieties include French Breakfast and Cherry Belle.

Carrots

The taste of a fresh picked carrot from the garden makes it worth the time it takes to grow them.  The best time to plant carrots in Houston is September to December.  It takes about 3 months to grow carrots from seed to harvest and it can take almost two weeks for carrots to sprout after planting.  Carrots tops will appear to start popping out of the soil when they are ready to harvest.  The tricky part about planting carrots is the seed is so tiny and you have to space them 3” apart so they are not overcrowded.  Take your time and try your best to space the seeds.  You can always come back a few weeks later and thin the carrot sprouts if they are too close together.  Our favorite variety is Danvers.

Beets

Not only are beets amazing, but the beet greens are equally delicious.  Beets can be planted from September until February in Houston.  Beets are ready to harvest about 2 months after planting.  You can harvest the greens before the root, just take two or three greens from each beet so the plant still has energy to grow.  You can plant beets ½” deep and 4-6” apart.  Beets can take two weeks to sprout.  Some verities to try are Detroit Dark Red and Chioggia.

Peas

Peas are the perfect plant to grow on your trellis this fall and winter.  When harvesting, it will be hard to resist not eating them straight from the vine.  Plant peas September to February next to your trellis.  Plant pea seeds 1” deep and 2-3” apart.  Peas are ready to harvest two to three months after planting.  Our favorites are sugar snap and snow peas. 

Ready to Let Yourself Grow

Ready to run to the store and get your seeds for Fall?  After planting, remember to water daily until the seeds germinate and sprout.  Enjoy the miracle!!